Strange Imprints: A Lion Sleeps
by XlaraC
Summary: Bella hasn't changed in a century; she's been waiting for her mate. When Edward comes across the scent of an African Lion, which shouldn't be wandering the forests of Forks, their worlds change.
1. Winter's Call

**A Lion Sleeps**

**Chapter One – Winter's Call**

_**A lion sleeps in the heart of every brave man. – Turkish Proverb**_

Outside my window, past the devastatingly beautiful forest with the fresh green pines and firs, you can see a glimpse of the mountain. It you look hard enough, you can almost make out the other, smaller mountain that lay slightly to the side and behind it; almost, but not quite. I have stared out this very window, stood in this exact position, so many times that I could draw you a perfect picture of it from memory. I most likely wouldn't even have to call the image from my thoughts; it is so ingrained in my retinas that I see it practically every second of every day. My dreams often featured the picturesque mountain scene, as well.

Just staring into the wide unknown – well, unknown to everybody except me – causes the shiver to travel down my spine and spread to the tips of my ears, fingers, and toes. My body begins shaking, and before it can consume me, I throw the window open and launch myself downwards, landing softly and easily on a snow bank. I don't even give it enough time to leave footprints before I am sprinting forward, winding between the trees and revelling in the crisp, cold, fresh air.

When I am about a mile in, I can no longer stop the shudders from trapping my body in the gap between my two forms. The change takes place quickly, and painlessly, as it always has. One moment I am standing on two legs and shaking slightly, the next I am standing on four paws, clawing into the dirt. I can feel my tail moving back and forth, giving me time to once again get used to it. A river is nearby – it is cold, but not yet cold enough to completely freeze the water. I head towards it, wanting to get a glimpse at the body I know all too well.

Staring back at me, as always after the change, is not the face of a teenage girl. It is the face of a large, wild cat more commonly seen in the plains of Africa. Everywhere my hair is a soft, short shade of gold, except for the vague stripes which are the colour of rich chocolate – the same colour my hair is in my natural form. My eyes are searching for any changes in the familiar image – a pair of deep, brown, bottomless pools – and, once again, they find none. I am always the same, every time.

My image – neither my human form nor my lion form – hasn't changed in almost a century.

A century ago, there were hundreds of my kind; maybe even thousands. We roamed the earth as both humans and lions, searching for our next meal and protecting our kind. I was part of the Atlantic Pride; we had control over the western states of America – Washington, Oregon, California, and sometimes our territory would run farther and overlap with Idaho, Nevada. There would be fights over territory – we were all battling to control the most amount of land. Most of us were even, though, and the borders would stay the same for centuries.

It wasn't until a hunting party from the Central Pride were spotted that we began hiding. It wasn't an official rule to not allow humans to spot us, but we all were careful, just in case. And the humans acted just as we thought they might act; they rebelled, hunted us down and slaughtered us. If we were in our human forms, they would dispose of us – if we were lions at the time of the kill, they would take our furs and eat our meat. They didn't understand that we were people, just like them – with the minor exception that we had a special ability.

I've always hated that word – 'special'. What makes us so special? We can shift into an entirely different being? We can be diagnosed with personality disorder? When we find our soul mate, we know right away?

Maybe; I don't know. I wouldn't call us 'special', just different. Everybody's different. Nobody is ever the same.

My body hasn't changed ever since; during the last fight between humans and us lions, I witnessed as my parents were cut to pieces. I was six. My parents told me to run – to run, and never look back. So I did. I was alone for almost a hundred years, before the police took me in. They tried to locate my family – which consisted of people I had completely made up – and then decided to send me into foster care. I was pretending to be 'fifteen', which was about the youngest I could pass for with my appearance. The first family I was sent to 'adored' me, and so they adopted me. Charlie and Renee Swan.

They lived on one of the most western points of my pride's territory – Forks, Washington. The ocean was but a mere twenty minute drive away; if you wanted to see it, all you had to do was head down to First Beach down at La Push.

"Bella!" I heard the distant call of Renee – I could never call her mother, no matter how much she wants me to – back towards the house. They had gotten used to me taking frequent hikes out in the woods, though they didn't quite understand my affinity for it. They were fine with it, just as long as I was inside before it got dark, and I made it to all of my meals. I always came back when they called – just like a dog.

I grimaced at my reflection, swatting the clear image away with my paw in disgust – I hated what I was. If my parents and I had been normal, they wouldn't be dead. Perhaps I wouldn't have stopped aging, though. They had been caught by the humans before they could finish teaching me about all of our legends. I knew what imprinting was – the automatic reaction our body goes through when we see our soul mate – but I didn't know what it felt like. I was eager to find my mate; maybe finding them would give me something to do, instead of wallowing in boredom.

"Bella!" It was Charlie's voice this time; I sighed, looking towards where I knew the mountains would be, before turning and running back towards the house, shifting midstride.

**So, this is another story in my 'strange imprint' universe. Hope you like it!**

**The banner for this story is posted on my blog: www(dot)xlarac(dot)blogspot(dot)com**

**Review, and remember me.**


	2. Spring's Beckoning

**I forgot to mention last time that thought the first chapter was in Bella's point of view, the rest of the story will be in Edward's. I just wanted you to get a look into her thought process. **

**A Lion Sleeps**

**Chapter Two: Spring's Beckoning**

_**A lion sleeps in the heart of every brave man. – Turkish Proverb**_

When we caught the scent of what was unmistakably the Quileute wolves, a thought had gone through both my mind and Carlisle's.

_Maybe returning to Forks wasn't the best idea_.

But, amazingly, this pack of wolves seemed almost as reasonable as the ones we had met seventy years ago. We renewed our treaty with them, and everything was fine – well, as fine as things can be when we're talking about a contract between natural enemies.

After talking with the wolves, we all decided to go hunting. It had been awhile since we had sated our thirsts, and as Carlisle would begin work and the rest of us children would begin school the next day, it seemed like a wise thing to do.

We split up into pairs, meaning that – being the only one without a mate – I was left to go alone. It was better that way, really; as a mind reader I was quite aware of what the others thought as they witnessed their mates hunting. As I usually do, I took off running as fast away from them all as I could, trying to put the most amount of distance between us before they feel to both their hunting and their mating instincts. Emmett would probably refer to me as a 'prude' later, but I doubt that even he would want to stay and watch through the minds of his siblings and parents as they shed clothing and joined together as lovers so often do.

I caught the scent of a herd of deer and was just about to go after them when a certain scent crossed over my senses. I stopped and thought about it, taking another sniff of the scent. I had been correct the first time, though unless Forks had some kind of hidden zoo, I couldn't make sense of it.

The scent was unmistakeably that of an African Lion, but this was _Forks_. African Lions were supposed to be in, well, _Africa_. Or zoos, as I had mentioned, but I doubt that a town as small as Forks would have one. And owning a pet such as a lion was illegal.

I forgot about the deer, instead heading off in the direction the misplaced scent was coming from. As I grew closer, I noticed that it was getting lighter. I guessed that the animal was in a meadow of some sorts, and as I stepped out of the forest, I realized I was right.

The meadow was beautiful, nearly perfectly round. The moon shown from directly above it, lighting up all the flowers and trees; the grass seemed to be shimmering in the light. And in the middle of the meadow, sleeping peacefully and unaware of my presence, lay a lioness.

Her fur was the familiar tawny colour, except for these odd brown stripes that crossed over her. She seemed to be just a little bit smaller than the average female lion, as well, though that could be chalked up to age. She was laying curled up on her side, with quiet snores escaping her muzzle.

I stopped to admire the beauty of the majestic animal, no longer wondering what she was doing here. The way she was sleeping, without a care in the world, made me think that she somehow belonged here, despite supposedly being from another continent altogether. Her scent was luxurious, wafting around my face. I could hear her heart beat thumping in a perfect rhythm that I unconsciously set my unneeded breathing to.

Before I could think about it, I was walking closer to her, giving in to a pull I hadn't been aware of until this moment. She continued to sleep, and I grew worried for a moment. What if somebody else had been in the woods, and had found her – would she wake up in time to protect herself? Though I knew that lions could protect themselves quite easily, she seemed oddly fragile to me. Though, perhaps that was because I was a vampire and could kill her in less than a second.

The thought of killing her made it feel as if my heart was being crushed. I gasped out loud, not thinking what it would do to the lioness.

Though she had been deeply asleep, the beautiful creature was suddenly up and facing me, growling deeply in warning. She was in a classic fighting position. Her eyes travelled towards me quickly, and just when I thought she was going to attack, she met my eyes. Instantly, the growling stopped and a look of what I could only call wonder came over the animal's features.

Before I could blink, the lioness turned around and headed behind a bush on the edge of the meadow. I wanted to follow, but as I knew that she was still there, I merely stared, wondering what she was doing. If it were at all possible, I would have fainted then and there as I watched a teenage girl crawl out of the bush the lion had just disappeared to.

Her scent washed towards me as she walked forward, and I noticed that though it could still be classified as the blood of a human, it was very animalistic and almost identical to that of the beautiful lioness. As she stared at me, her eyes not moving from my own, I realized with a jolt that I had seen these same eyes a mere minute before – except they were in the body of an African Lion.

My brow furrowed, and the human drew nearer. Something in my mind was telling me not to move, though I knew that it would be the smart thing; I didn't want to harm the strange human.

She grew closer, and as I felt the heat from her body radiate onto my own, she brought her hand up and cupped one of my cheeks. Acting on some deep buried instincts, I leaned into her palm, nuzzling it as she smiled. Somehow, through her touch, I had realized that this girl _was _the lion I had seen. And thought I had been thinking about my need to protect the strong lioness, as the girl in front of me held my face in her hand, I felt safe; like nothing could touch me, at least not when she was with me.

"My imprint," she whispered, seeming to be talking to herself. She smiled, and I noticed that her canines were sharper than her others. "Oh, how long I've waited for you, love."

**Sorry that this took awhile, but I'm sure you know how things can get at times.**

**Review, please!**

**Remember me.**


	3. Summer's Enlightenment

**A Lion Sleeps**

**Chapter Three: Summer's Enlightenment**

_**A lion sleeps in the heart of every brave man. – Turkish Proverb**_

My brow furrowed as I tried to understand what the girl had just said. _Her imprint_? I asked myself. _Like the wolves?_

She must have noticed my confusion, because her face softened as she continued to gaze at my face. She had such a loving expression that I couldn't help but melt slightly, leaning my face even more against her palm. She bit her lip as I did so, and decided something.

"I can smell others on you, and so I know that you are not alone. I suppose you should lead the way to your home, so that I may explain it to all." She watched me for a little longer, before speaking again. "My name is Bella, love. What's yours?"

"Edward." My voice slipped through my lips easily; I hadn't even thought about keeping silent, though I didn't know if this girl – woman – could harm my family or not. Rosalie would be mad at me, but I couldn't help but feel that _Bella _would do anything in her power to keep me safe.

As a vampire, there was no real need for me to fear anything – we were stronger than almost anything on Earth. With Bella here with me, though, I knew that nothing would ever harm me. I could already see the almost protective stance she held in front of me, as if preparing herself just in case something were to happen. Nothing would happen, of course; after all, this _was_ Forks.

"Let's head to your coven, shall we?" She asked, stepping backwards and taking her hand from my face. I let out an involuntary whine, closing my eyes with the slight embarrassment. Since when did I _whine_? If Emmett were here, I would never here the end of it.

Bella seemed to understand, though; she grabbed my hand right away, and the emptiness that had filled me when she had dropped her hand receded, leaving me once again with that feeling of protection and safety, but most of all warmth. Bella made me feel warm.

I pulled her with me, noticing that she never strayed further than my side. Her eyes darted everywhere, her body tensed at every moment to defend me, or it seemed that way, at least. I couldn't tell exactly what she was doing, but the sense of being protected never left. I had the sense that even if I ran my fastest, she would be able to keep up with me. And I was right; as I took off, she never even hesitated. After awhile, I figured that she had gained the trail back to my house, because she pulled ahead, leading me back to a place I knew better than almost anywhere else.

As I had expected, Alice had warned the others of our arrival; they were all waiting for us on the front porch.

_Why that little_ – I cut Rosalie's thoughts off before they could get to me; now was definitely not the time to get into an argument.

My family stared at us as Bella and I walked hand-in-hand towards them. Bella had stepped back to way beside me, though she was still noticeably tense. I don't think she had relaxed since I had first spotted her; or, more pointedly, since she had first spotted me. Her hand remained warm in mine, and her thumb was moving softly and slowly over the back of my hand. Little shocks of electricity seemed to dance over my palm. I hadn't felt this way... _ever_. For some reason, I couldn't even imagine being away from her now... and I had just met her. I wonder if this was how the others felt, when they had met their mates.

I could remember vaguely hearing some thoughts much like mine in the minds of Carlisle, Esme, and Rosalie – and, of course, Alice and Jasper had joined us much later, after they had been mates for almost two decades. Emmett wasn't one to share his feelings, not even in his thoughts. The only person who could get a good grasp on his emotions was Rosalie, apart from Jasper, of course. But Jasper could read everybody, whether he wanted to or not.

_I think we should talk inside, son, _Carlisle told me, stepping backwards and gesturing for the others to go back inside. Esme lingered, looking at me with such a joyous expression. If it were at all possible, I had the feeling that she would have been crying. As it were, tears of venom that would never fall pooled in her eyes.

_Is she your mate, Edward? _She asked me before she went inside. I sent her a look that I hoped she understood as _I think so_.

She seemed to get it, smiling brightly, before walking inside the house with Carlisle. Carlisle sent us a smile, as well, though his eyes were curious. No doubt they had all caught a whiff of Bella's unique and wonderful scent.

Bella turned to me, her shoulders relaxing as her eyes met mine. I relaxed, as well, though I hadn't even realized that I had tensed up. I guess I had been a little nervous about what my family would think, but all of them – apart from Jasper and Rosalie – were merely curious. Rosalie was outright pissed, and Jasper was just being cautious. If there was even a possibility of a threat against Alice, he went into soldier mode. He was just doing what he thought was right, and though I wanted him to accept Bella, I knew I wouldn't be able to change his mind until he officially met her.

Bella smiled at me, showing her overly-sharp canines off again, before pulling me along with her as she walked to the house. I followed after her, sort of like a lost puppy following his master. I scowled at the comparison my mind had made, wiping it off as soon as she turned to look at me again. I think she sensed my nervousness and worry about how my family would treat her, as she stopped just outside the door. I had the feeling that she knew that they all could hear her, she just didn't care.

"Don't worry, love; everything will go fine. I can already tell that they care for you, Edward." Her voice was soft, almost like her touch.

I couldn't help it; I didn't even have the time to stop it before I was spitting out the question. "Do you care for me?" Another comparison I didn't quite like, though I knew it to be true. I sounded like a child asking if Santa Claus existed.

She softened once again, reaching up to cradle my face, with both hands this time. She looked deep into my own, before carefully drawing me into her arms. I grabbed onto her tightly, having this feeling that if I let go I would fall into an endless pit. I needed her; she was like air to a human.

I couldn't be sure, but it felt like I heard the words whispered in my mind before she said them out loud. "You are everything to me, Edward; I will forever love you, with everything I have."

**There you go. I know, not my best. Seems a little 'cheesy' to me. Let me know what you think, though. **

**Next chapter probably sometime this week. You never know, though.**

**Review, and remember me.**


	4. Autumn's Glee

**A Lion Sleeps**

**Chapter Four: Autumn's Glee**

_**A lion sleeps in the heart of every brave man. – Turkish Proverb**_

When Bella removed her arms from around me, I was met with another one of her unique and bright smiles. She didn't hesitate when she turned around and opened the front door to my house, the one thing that was keeping us separated from my family and their curious – and, in some cases, angry – minds.

They watched us both carefully as I followed Bella inside, letting her close the door behind us. Her eyes looked around the room quickly, taking it all in. I saw her pause on Rosalie's glaring face, and her expression stiffened. Contrasting with when she was looking at me, her eyes held no warmth now; they radiated strength, power, and ice. I could tell already that no matter how much I pleaded with Rosalie to accept my mate, there would be many conflicts between the two of them.

Bella eased up when my previously fearless sister turned her face away from the cold look; I don't think Rosalie, with all her ethereal beauty, had ever been looked at without even the slightest gleam of admiration. Even I admired her, even though I could hear her true self ringing through her thoughts, for her strength after the horrible events that caused her to join us in this immortal life. Bella did not know who Rosalie was or what she had gone through, and so she had no feelings beyond the fact that she was a member of my family.

My mate led me over to the only free couch, sitting down and sitting me practically into her lap. I knew by the way my brothers let out reluctant guffaws that I should have been embarrassed by our seating arrangement, but I didn't have it in me; not when it felt so right. It was effeminate, in a way, letting a girl protect you; had it been the early 1900's, when I was raised, it would have been a terrible thing to allow a woman to act this way. Though people weren't as prejudiced against woman at that point in time, there were still very few things a woman had the rights to do.

I had fallen into a safe and comfortable rhythm with Bella, one where she watched over me instead of the other way around. It felt good to be taken care of.

After awhile of sitting in silence, Carlisle cleared his throat. "Well, son," he looked at me. "I think it's time you explain a few things."

I nodded, knowing that there definitely _was _something that I needed to explain. I was lost, though, when I tried to think of how to begin. Making her seem even more perfect, Bella picked up on my anxiousness and spoke around me towards my family. "First of all, my name is Bella Swan; it is a pleasure to meet you all…"

Alice perked up, and introduced us all. I watched their faces, and from their thoughts I knew that they were all more than a little curious about our relationship. I was, as well; I would follow the instincts without question when it came to Bella, but I don't know why I was feeling this way.

"It's even nicer to know your names," her smile brightened the room instantly. "Now, I know that you were expecting Edward to explain, but I'm afraid he doesn't know much more than you. So, I think we can all agree that the explanations should be left up to me.

"To start off, I was born more than a century ago, in the forest as most of my kind is, not too far from here. I grew up rather normally, considering that I wasn't human. When I was three, I phased for the first time. Now, I assume that you are all aware of the… wolves down at La Push?" She barely paused, and I got the feeling that she knew that vampires and werewolves wouldn't have been able to exist near each other without knowing about one another. "They are cousins of my kind, I suppose – though nowhere near as powerful as our bloodline once was. We were the unseen and the unknown rulers – until, of course, humans spotted us and hunted us down like the savages they are. They didn't even care that we had families, loved ones, lives; all they knew was that we were different and didn't deserve to live.

"When the human came across my family's home, my parents told me to run whilst they sacrificed themselves to keep me alive, and run I did. I was never one to disobey an order, especially not from a superior – and when you're only six years old, practically everyone is your superior. I never saw my parents again.

"I remained alone for the next hundred years, roaming the earth, confused and lost. You see, my kind age just like normal humans, despite our… added abilities. I assume that I am the one exception to that rule, seeing as I hit sixteen and never grew a day older after that. It wasn't until two years ago that the government caught on to me, and I was immediately taken into custody. A month later, I was adopted by the Swans – Chief Charles and Renee. They took me in, and they treat me almost like I remember my parents treating me, all those decades ago. They are a fine pair of humans if I ever did see one. Of course, looking on tonight's events, I think I have a theory of why I haven't aged. But that can be a tale for another time."

She took a deep breath. "Any questions?"

My family was watching her with shocked looks, and Esme was deeply saddened by the fact that she was alone. For myself, I curled in closer to her, letting her know that she would never be alone like that again, not as long as I was around. She wrapped one of her arms around my waist and squeezed gently, and I knew that she had received the message.

"Um… that was a very interesting story… but, what exactly are you? You never said." Alice seemed hesitant, and looking into her mind, I realized that she was blind. Bella could block her powers just like the wolves could.

Bella showed off her sharpened teeth once again, except this time her face held a feral expression; if I hadn't been basking in the safety of her warm embrace, I would have felt frightened. "I'm a were-lion."

**There you go, chapter four. Now, just to let you know I will continue to update as often as I can, but my laptop broke last week. I have access to my parents computer and am using that to write at the moment, but updates won't be as frequent. I have ordered a new laptop and it should arrive before Christmas.**

**Until then, review, and remember me.**


	5. Midwinter's Command

**A Lion Sleeps**

**Chapter Five: Midwinter's Command**

_**A lion sleeps in the heart of every brave man. – Turkish Proverb**_

Carlisle, of course, was fascinated by the idea that we – and the werewolves – weren't the only supernatural creature out there. He asked Bella question after question, and still his curiosity didn't seem anywhere close to being quenched. Bella smiled and patiently answered everyone, and it was only until I realized that the five of us children had missed the first half of our first day at Forks High that she began to show her annoyance.

Esme, being the perfect mother she is, picked up on it right away. "Carlisle, dear; I think it's time we allow Edward to show Bella around the house. I'm sure your questions can wait for later."

Carlisle looked Bella over, and – only now noticing her tightened expression – hastily agreed. We had found out during the discussion that my mate was perfectly capable of tearing a vampire to shreds, and that were-lions were known to be extremely temperamental. In short, Carlisle knew that the wisest thing to do would be to allow Bella to relax instead of hounding her with questions.

I eagerly stood up and grabbed Bella's hand, needing the contact. She followed right behind me with an amused smile as I directed her around the house, telling her where everything was and which room belonged to who. I saved my room for last, wanting to spend time alone with her instead of in front of my family. My brothers 'encouraging' hints and thoughts had gotten to me over the hours we had been downstairs, what with the _'come on, Edward; be a man!' _and '_don't let her wear the pants, Eddie!'_. It got irritating.

As I closed the door to my bedroom behind us, I heard Esme thinking about calling the school and coming up with an excuse to allow us to remain home for another week – after some quick thinking, she decided to say that we hadn't realized how long it would take to unpack, and we weren't quite settled in yet. It was an excuse that would work as good as any other. Plus, my family moved around so frequently that we were quite convincing when it came to lies and excuses. I'm sure the school secretary wouldn't think anything of it.

"So… this is my room." I told her as she looked around. She smirked at me before walking over to my shelves of music. As she looked through all of my CDs, she dragged a finger along the titles. I didn't like the feeling of her being away from me and so I followed behind her, watching her as she looked over everything. I felt excited, having her in my room, and scowled when I realized how much I sounded like an immature teenage boy.

"It suits you," she said as she turned back towards me. "Even though I don't know much about you, I can already see that it's the place you are most comfortable in in your home."

I looked into her eyes, and nodded – letting her know that what she said was the truth. Though, I knew my opinion about where I felt most at home had changed; I would forever feel relaxed when I was with her. It was strange, really, how things could change that fast. I knew it hadn't been like this for my family; after all, vampires usually fell in love. Though there was a sense that you had met your mate, it wasn't 'love at first sight' as it had been with Bella. Which reminded me; there was much I needed to ask her…

She must have seen it on my face; it was the only answer. She sighed, smiling again before leading me to my couch, sitting me down beside her. Though I wasn't a fan of the space between us, the problem was rectified as she reached for one of my hands. She idly played with my fingers, and I just watched her face as she watched our hands together. I liked her warmth more than I thought would be possible.

"You must be so confused," she whispered. She didn't pause for an answer. "I haven't done very much explaining yet, not to you at least. I have answered many of your family's questions, but none of yours. This time belongs to you now, Edward; ask away." She pulled back from my hand, making a gesture towards me that said 'go ahead'.

I could only think of one question for her. "What is this…?" I motioned to her, then to myself, "between us? Why do I feel this way?"

She smiled. "I thought that you would ask that; I've been preparing the answer in my head all day, wanting to explain it perfectly, so as to avoid making you even more confused." She pushed herself up, and watched as she began pacing back and forth in front of me. I had the urge to reach out and grab her, but held back, not wanting to disturb her thinking.

"We lions are very much like the La Push wolves, Edward; in fact, the only thing really differentiating us is our spirit forms. Which means that we, too, have a joined mind when phased, though I haven't had the chance to be in on one of those in so long; and, of course, it's not the 'pack mind', it's the 'pride mind'. Another difference is the fact that we didn't have an exact purpose for being here; we didn't hunt vampires, for they are not our enemies. No; our enemies have always been and will always be the humans. They hunt us and kill us, not even caring for our families. Once upon a time, we respected them; we looked after them, secretly of course, and made sure that they had enough food, enough water, and enough shelter. We were like guardian angels, in a way."

Her face turned sad. "But when they discovered us, they turned on us. They didn't care about all we'd done for them. They slaughtered us… and we realized that even though we had helped them, there had never been a chance for us to make friends with them. They were _always _our enemies, whether we knew it or not." She took a deep breath, turning to look at me. "But that's a story for another time. After all, you asked a question that I still need to answer. Another similarity between us lions and the wolves is the way we find our mates, Edward. Have you ever heard of imprinting?"

The word brought two memories back, both of them from this morning. The first one that came was the strongest; it was of the first words Bella had ever said to me.

_"My imprint," she whispered, seeming to be talking to herself. She smiled, and I noticed that her canines were sharper than her others. "Oh, how long I've waited for you, love."_

The other was from when we were talking with the wolves, merely an hour or two before I had met Bella and my world had changed. It had just been a fleeting thought from one of the more temperamental wolves; Jared, I believe his name was.

"_They better agree to keep the treaty; if I ever see them anywhere _near_ my imprint, I'll rip them to shreds before I took another breath."_

This thought had come with a picture of a young Quileute girl; a human. The image was wrapped with pure adoration and love, and the most intense protective instincts I had ever felt. It had occurred to me that maybe these wolves were not only protecting their tribe, they were protecting their entire world.

"I've heard of it, yes; though I honestly have no clue what it is," I told her honestly, though I had the sense that I couldn't lie to her if I tried."

Her eyes took on a wide, awed look as she watched me. They were shining with the very emotions the wolf had when associated with the girl. "It's like, when you look at them your entire world changes. Like gravity is no longer the thing holding you back; _they _are. Like millions – no, billions – of strong, steel cables have suddenly attached you to this one person. And suddenly, you just _know_; they are _the one_. And you'd do anything, _absolutely anything_, to protect them; you would be anything for them, a brother, sister, mother, father… lover. You'd do anything to ensure that they are safe and that they are happy. They are your entire reason for being born."

The way she spoke made it impossible for me to turn away. I hadn't thought that the word 'imprint' would mean so much; after all, it was such a small word. But, I had to know for sure, had to let her say it.

She sighed before sitting back down beside me, taking my hand once again. This time she was closer though, and I couldn't help myself when I shuffled closer to her. Her body was soon pressed tightly against mine, and sighed in content. She giggled slightly, cuddling into me. The same feeling from before, when I had seen her as a lion, came back, and it was as if we had switched spots. I almost forgot that she was a menacing creature who was perfectly capable of destroying me. All I wanted to do was protect her, like any vampire would feel for his mate.

"Edward, I know you've already guessed it, and I get the sense that you just want to hear it, without asking me. So… yes, Edward; you are my imprint. When I first set my eyes on you, my world tilted on its axis. You're the only thing holding me on Earth, now, love."

**There you are; another chapter. I hope you aren't too disappointed with this. And, I'd like you to remember how their roles kind of changed at the end, there; it kind of plays a key point of discussion in the next few chapters. *hint, hint***

**Oh, and as I'm hoping to get a few more people reading it – and reviewing! – I'd like to let all of you know that I posted a new story; it's called **_**Edward's Inferno**_**. There is no Bella; and it is a very minor crossover with **_**Dante's Inferno**_**. If that doesn't sound like something you'd be into, than not harm done, but please give it a try.**

**Review, and remember me, XlaraC**


	6. The Planting Season's Blooming

**A Lion Sleeps**

**Chapter Six: The Planting Season's Blooming**

_**A lion sleeps in the heart of every brave man. – Turkish Proverb**_

The words that had just left Bella's mouth left him me awe. I had felt our connection since I had first laid eyes on her, and I could tell that there was something supernatural pulling us together.. It had only strengthened when she had set her eyes on _me_. Our relationship wouldn't be considered normal to any except us, I'm sure, and of course my family, who would accept anything as long as it made me happy.

"What does that mean, exactly?" She raised her eyebrow at my question. "I mean, I know what it means, I just… what does it entail?"

She smiled at me again, curling further into my side. The feeling of protection hadn't quite left me, except now there was this overwhelming need to ensure her safety, as well. It was odd, going from one thing to another this way. Hopefully she would explain that, as well. "It means that you will never, ever, be alone again, Edward Cullen. It means that as long as my lungs still breathe and my heart still beats, you will never be harmed in any way. It means that I will never leave your side, for the rest of eternity. I am yours, Edward. I will always be yours."

I smiled, but was still curious. "Does that mean… if _you_ are _mine, _then does that make _me yours_?" My question came out with more of a nervous edge to it than I wanted, but it couldn't be helped. To me, this was a very serious question. I wanted Bella to take her claim on me, wanted to feel even more of that protection she lovingly gave me.

As if she had read my mind, her grin turned feral and I noticed her body once again tense up. That feeling of warmth and safety slammed back into me; she was on her guard once again, and it wouldn't have been wise to try to hurt me in that moment. Looking at her face, now, you could really see the resemblance to her lion form; she looked very much like the large cat I had first seen curled up in the meadow. It seemed like a lifetime ago, now, but I knew it was only this morning. I often found it funny that my family lost sense of time when they were with their other halves, but now I completely understood.

Her next move surprised me. She leapt gracefully into the air from her spot beside, and landed lithely in my lap; it only proved to solidify my thoughts that even while in her human-like form, she was more cat than anything.

She smiled while on top of me, and I'm sure to anyone else her cat grin would have frightened them; but to me, it only made her look even more beautiful. "You, my love," she said with a teasing edge, "are most _certainly_ mine." Her eyes were piercing me, and even though her voice was teasing, I knew she was serious.

I smirked at her. "I don't exactly mind, Bella; in fact, I'm quite willing to be _yours_." Her eyes brightened considerably and she began to make a contented sound in her throat. It took me a few seconds to recognize it. "Are you purring, Bella?"

She froze, before smiling again. "You know, my mother once told me that us lions only purr when were are really, _really_ happy."

I smiled back. "Really? And just what is making you so happy, little lion?"

"Oh, nothing; just this guy who makes my entire world go 'round." She leaned in closer to me – she was still on my lap – and began… nuzzling my hair with her face. Very much like a cat, as I said.

"I might have to meet this guy; show him that you are mind and I don't like to share."

She bit her lip with one of her sharp canines. "I'm glad you don't," she leaned forward and whispered, shaking her head slightly. "I don't like to share, either."

"Good," I told her, pulling her closer to me. Her face was against my neck now, and she was nuzzling it like she had done my hair. The feeling was amazing, and only grew as she began to drop little kisses here and there. I thought I was going to explode when she began nibbling my skin, as well. The feeling was heavenly; well, as heavenly as anything could be for a vampire.

She giggled a little when I let out an uncontrollable moan. I had tried to hold it back, aware that my entire family was scattered throughout the house and were perfectly capable of hearing everything we did or said up here. As it was, I heard Emmett laugh a little before Rosalie hit him, causing him to stop. Jasper, at least, had enough sense not to make a sound; I'm sure Alice would have worked herself up to a mean glare if he had. His thoughts, though, were different story; he was laughing as hard as was possible in his mind. It was times like this that I realized how _much_ I love my brothers; enough to put up with them, anyway.

Suddenly, she sunk her canines into my wrist. I hadn't even realized that she had moved her face away from my neck and towards my hand. Her teeth slid through my granite skin like it was butter, and I could see as her eyes rolled back into her head as she –seemingly – got a taste of my venom. It felt even better than her little nibbles, having her actually bite me.

In a matter of seconds, though it felt like hours, she pulled her teeth out and licked over the bite wound. Much like our venom, it sealed the wound and left only the scars of her teeth. The bite mark was noticeably different than the ones that decorated Jasper's skin; it was as if a tiny lion had walked up and managed to break through my skin. I smiled at it; I hadn't felt any of the pain you would assume would come from someone biting your wrist.

"Now, everyone will know that I have claimed you," she murmured, and I knew it was in attempt to avoid my family hearing. It didn't work, I could tell that much from their thoughts; but as they were unaware of what exactly had happened, they didn't make a noise in regards to Bella's comment.

I leaned forward, unable to help myself, and captured her lips roughly with mine. She grunted with the motion, but pushed me backwards so that she was hovering over me again. Her hands tangled into my hair, pulling roughly yet gently. Her mouth was so _warm_ over mine that it felt like I was almost human again. I could feel and hear her pulse racing and I could pretend for a moment that it was my own.

For all you people that feel or see fireworks when they kiss? I feel bad for you; because when I kissed Bella, it felt like the very sun had gone supernova.

**There you go, as promised the sixth chapter of A Lion Sleeps. Happy New Year, everybody! I hope this one's as good as the last one; scratch that, make it better.**

**As I mentioned in the last note, I have a new story up called **_**Edward's Inferno**_**; please go and check it out, I really want to know what you all think. Also, yesterday I put up **_**another**_** new story; it's called **_**Fanged**_**. Here are the summaries for the two new stories:**

_**Edward's Inferno: **_**Grayson Stone is the son of the Devil, and is soon to replace his father. Before he does, he decides to visit Earth and meets the Cullen family; he falls in love with one Cullen in particular. No Bella. *Minor crossover with Dante's Inferno.***

_**Fanged: **_**Isabella has traveled alone for centuries, and definitely does not care at all for the humans she disdainfully refers to as 'the mortals'. She cares as much for the Cullens as she does for 'the mortal's. Well, at first, anyway... until things change.**

**For **_**Edward's Inferno**_**, even if you haven't read **_**Dante's Inferno**_**, I recommend you read it. You don't need to have read **_**Dante's Inferno **_**to understand it. As I wrote in the summary, it is a **_**minor**_** crossover.**

**Review, and remember me.**


	7. Summer Heat's Waves

**A Lion Sleeps**

**Chapter Seven: Summer Heat's Waves**

_**A lion sleeps in the heart of every brave man. – Turkish Proverb**_

"I love you, Edward," Bella told me before she melted into the darkness. I could make out the vague shape of a lion slinking into the woods soon after, and I smiled, knowing that my mate was safe and happy. I had the urge to follow after her, and it was double the feeling a vampire would have for their mate; I felt the longing to ensure that nothing hurt her on her journey home, but yet the feeling of protection her presence had given me was disappearing slowly as she ran away from me.

Behind me, my house loomed; it was intimidating to me now, as I knew that my family was inside waiting for me so that they could smother me with their questions. Alice was already looking into the future, so that she could know what was going on ahead of time – it was a nasty little habit of hers to want to know everything before it happened. Such were the habits of a future seer, though. Jasper was standing next to her, slightly testing the emotions of everyone in the room; like his mate, he had his habits when it came to his power, though his habits had been engrained into him when he was training as a soldier, and not just because he was annoying like my sister.

Walking into the place I had called home for decades (even after we'd moved, I couldn't shake the feeling Forks had left me with), it felt more like I was walking to my death sentence. I knew, reasonably, that my family would accept me no matter what – and if Bella was a part of me (and she most definitely was) than that would be okay with them. I knew that, though we had spent hours with them earlier, explaining Bella's position, they still wanted to know more…

…like how I felt about everything that had happened.

"Edward!" My hyperactive sister squealed as she ran up to me. "Oh, I'm so happy for you! She's so great – we're going to be best friends!" Her voice raised an octave as she continued babbling about anything and everything; somehow, it went from her happiness that I was no longer single to her anger at Bella's 'atrocious sense of style'. I could sense that I would be protecting my mate from shopping trips in the very near future. She had told me earlier of her dislike of being in stores for more than half an hour – I'm sure if Alice had her way, as she so often did, Bella would be spending _a lot_ more time than a half an hour in the mall. Five or six hours would be closer, but most likely more.

"That's nice, Alice," I told her, pushing her slightly away from me so that I could sit down and get the questioning over with. I love my family, I really do, but sometimes they can be a bit overbearing.

Alice got the message, and sat down, nodding toward Carlisle – who was already planning what he had to say. "Now, son," he began. "Bella seems like a very nice girl, and we're all very happy for you. But… are you sure she is what you want?"

I shook my head, laughing humourlessly. "It's not like I have a choice in whom to love, Carlisle; sometimes, these things just pick you, you know?"

Esme smiled the brightest I'd seen in a long time, nodding earnestly. "Yes, that's right, Edward; we're all just glad you're happy – you mean so much to us all." Her eyes and mind spoke the truth – though Esme wasn't someone to lie. I felt a piercing sensation in my heart, the same one I got every time I remembered how much my 'mother' cared about me, despite the things I'd done when I'd ran off that time. The feeling in my chest went away quickly, though, and I knew it was because I now had something to live for by the name of Bella.

I smiled at her. "Thanks, Esme; Bella's just so amazing, and even though I didn't get to choose for myself, I wouldn't have it any other way," I told them. Then I laughed, and noticed that I couldn't seem to keep the smile off of my face. "Did you see how beautiful she is? Man, I don't know how I got so lucky, but I hope it's not a joke."

"Bella doesn't seem the type to joke about that kind of thing; besides, her feelings were undeniably pure for you. I've never felt someone who could withstand that much love without collapsing, it was almost more than I can handle – and being a vampire, I can withstand much more than a human would be able to." Jasper spoke calmly, his thoughts going over all of the emotions he had felt coming off of my mate when she had been here. "Even if you tried, Edward, I don't think you could chase her away."

"Thank God I'll never try then, eh Jas?" I sent him a wave of humour, and felt him as he sent it back. He chuckled briefly, pulling Alice closer to him. _I'm happy for you, brother. Truly, I am._ He thought to me, and I nodded and met his eye, letting him know that I was listening.

_Ugh, well, if I'm the only one who'll say it… _"How can you not be worried about this? She said so herself, she's like the wolves – what if she decides that vampires would make good targets for fighting practise, huh?" Rosalie spat, anger tinting her voice.

"Rosalie, that's enough," Esme snapped at her. "Edward is happy, and besides – Bella seems like a sweet girl, and from what Jasper has told us, she wouldn't do anything to hurt your brother. And as we are his family, I would believe that that would extend upon us, as well." She nodded, agreeing to what she had said.

All of us, including Emmett and Carlisle, held back snickers at Rosalie's look of outrage. She huffed and stormed upstairs, and Emmett sighed, rolling his eyes and following. _Sorry, bro_, he told me as he ran upstairs after his wife.

I turned to my 'mother', once again. "Thanks, Mom," I told her sincerely.

Her smile brightened, though I had thought it impossible. _Oh, Edward…_ "Anytime, son." Her eyes twinkled with her joy for me.

Esme was an angel – there was no other way to explain it.

**There you are – chapter seven. Three things to bring to your attention:**

**If you are a follower of mine, and know what I mean when I talk about **_**Soul Fliers**_**, then you will be pleased to know that it is off hiatus and that I am going to be trying to update it every Monday. Cross your fingers!**

**As you may have figured out from the aforementioned point, I now have an updating schedule. It can be found on my profile, as well as a list of upcoming stories that I will be adding once I am done some or all of the ones I am working on now.**

**My friend, **_**LeanyJ**_**, has recently joined FanFiction. She only has one story, and as I think most of you are probably Twihards of some kind, you may not like it. It's a **_**Pokemon**_** fic, and it's called **_**The Daunted, the Puzzled and the Wayward. **_**I would like it if you went and gave it a try!**

**Well, that's all – so until next time, review, and remember me.**


	8. The Dying Season's Rejoice

**A Lion Sleeps**

**Chapter Eight: The Dying Season's Rejoice**

_**A lion sleeps in the heart of every brave man. – Turkish Proverb**_

"Charlie and Renee don't know about me, Edward," her voice mumbled over the phone. "I can't exactly be there every minute of every day, though I desperately want to. You'll have to wait."

I had called her a mere two hours after she had left; it had felt like she had taken my heart with me when she had moved to head home, and I just couldn't get used to her absence. So, like the totally-in-love man I am, I had picked up the phone to practically beg her to return to me. She was more put together than I was, though I think she was mostly appearing strong for her imprint.

"How long will I have to wait?" I asked her, my eyes closed at the thought of not being with her right away.

"A couple of hours, at least; Renee wants me to help her with supper tonight, and I know Charlie will want to talk to me for a while. He doesn't particularly care about my skipping school, but he'll want a legitimate reason." Her voice turned to a teasing tone. "I'm still wondering if I should convince him that I want to stay home all week; but, I don't know if you'll want to spend a whole week with me… alone, no school…"

I practically growled. "You know I would." And, indeed, the idea was very pleasant to me. It sounded spectacular, actually. "Can you convince him of it?"

She laughed delightedly. "I'm almost positive I could convince him of anything, Edward; he's so much like my own father was, it's sickening." Her voice turned sad, though, even though I could still hear the humour in it. It was obvious that she would forever miss her true family, even when there were so many willing substitutes.

"Everyone would find it impossible not to love you, I bet," I told her, whispering down the line my love for her. It seemed impossible that we had known each other for not even twenty-four hours yet. I had spent decades hating my existence but it was my existence that brought me to her, made me unafraid and undoubting of the supernatural phenomenon that was occurring between us.

She sighed happily. "I love you so much, Edward… I'll be there in five." She hurriedly hung up the phone, and I was left shocked. She was coming now? A brilliant, goofy smile lit up my face as I hung up my phone as well and raced downstairs so that I could meet her outside. My family merely shook their heads, having heard the conversation.

True to her words, barely five minutes later a great lioness stalked out of the trees, heading straight towards me. She didn't even have time to move three feet before I had my arms thrown around her neck, taking in her scent and rubbing my hands through her short, soft fur. She purred lazily, wrapping one of her front paws around my body to pull me closer to her. Her tongue came out and she actually licked my head, no doubt causing my hair to stand up on ends. I remembered reading long ago that this was a way that lions showed affection, and so I had no problem with it. In fact, I was quite surprised and merely pushed myself into her more.

It was like a tidal wave. As we stood there, this feeling came over me. _I was safe. _I don't think I would ever quite get used to idea that Bella was forever going to be protecting me, though I knew it to be true. Just being next to her was like I had my own personal body guard.

"What I would do to see into your mind," I mumbled into her neck. She growled in a way that made it sound like she was laughing, before backing up to look into my eyes. I lifted my hand to scratch behind her ears, and she closed her eyes, purring as she leant into my touch. I smiled, and answered the question I had seen in her eyes. "You explained to me what imprinting was like, but I wish I could see it from your point of view…"

_You mean, like this?_ A soft, lilting and very feline voice asked in my head. I jumped in shock, my eyes widening as I looked at her in shock. She let out another rumbling laugh, and this time it echoed in my head. _I didn't mean to startle you._

"How?" I breathed, starting to scratch her ears again.

_I can be anything for you, my imprint. You wish to hear my thoughts, and so you shall. Anything to make what is mine happy._

Her thoughts were so concrete; she was completely telling the truth. She would be able to do anything as long as it made me happy. "So, if I were to ask you to turn me invisible…?"

Another laugh, this one louder. _It doesn't work that way; it's not a true need. Now, maybe if you were in danger and the only way I could protect you was if the attackers couldn't see you, that's different. But you needed to understand how I felt for you, and so I made it so that you could. Understand?_

"I think I do," I told her. "So, how do you feel for me?"

Instantly I was overwhelmed with thoughts and feelings; love, desire, protectiveness, possessiveness, lust, want, need, trust, love, love, love… that was the majority of it, love. The thoughts centered around making me happy, needing me, wanting me, protecting me, anything to do with me. My mind was filling up rapidly, so rapidly that I actually stumbled forward and had to hold onto her for support. At that moment, she stopped, locking all the information quickly back into her own head, letting me see only what was in front of me. _Are you okay?_ She asked me desperately, licking the back of my head and using a paw to help hold me up. _That was too much, wasn't it?_

"No," I gasped, still breathing heavily from the experience. "I mean, yes, it was too much, but… at the same time, it wasn't." I couldn't put it exactly into words, and so I merely pulled her closer to me and hugged her with all the strength I had. She stood frozen for a moment before she lay down on her side and pulled me into her. The warmth of her body spread throughout my own.

_I'll try to be more careful, next time_. She said quietly, still bathing my head with her tongue. It felt strangely amazing, and I knew that it was only because it was her, and it would only feel good to me. After all, she was my everything.

"It was overwhelming, but I enjoyed it… it was so…" Again, words escaped me.

_I know, _she chuckled. _Overwhelming is just the right word; that's how every imprint is, or at least how it was described to me. Overwhelming, but true and forever. My feelings for you will never dwindle, Edward – they will always be _overwhelming_ to me._

"I'm glad," I told her. "I quite like knowing how much you care for me."

Her tongue moved down to my neck, and I closed my eyes at the sensation. To anyone else, this would be completely weird. But I suppose this is what you get for having a soul mate that happens to be part lion.

"Edward!" I heard my sister screech from inside the house.

I pulled away from Bella slightly, and she stopped her ministrations to turn towards my house, watching carefully as my sister leapt down the porch stairs and ran to us. Her eyes were wild, and though she was looking right at me I knew she was also half in the future.

I searched her mind quickly, seeing things that didn't make sense. Fire, darkness, people I'd never met…

_What's wrong, Edward? What does she want? _I heard Bella ask as I watched my sister, confused. I voiced Bella's questions as my own, and listened carefully to my sister's answer.

"Edward, they're coming." Her voice sounded hollow.

"Who is coming, Alice?"

"The Volturi," she whispered. I heard my family stop moving inside as they found out what had caused her alarm. Everything went still. "And… they'll take quite the interest in Bella." I knew what that meant.

They would want Bella to join them.

**It's Wednesday, and so here's another chapter. This one was fairly easy to write, and I quite enjoyed writing it. I would have to say it's my favourite chapter so far. It's also the longest, so I hope you're happy.**

**Review, and remember me.**


	9. The Dead Season's Warmth

**A Lion Sleeps**

**Chapter Nine: The Dead Season's Warmth**

'_**A lion sleeps in the heart of every brave man.' – Turkish Proverb**_

We hadn't had much time to prepare for the incoming threat of the Volturi; really, just enough time to give Bella hurried explanation of what was going on and to get prepared for their arrival.

I had tried to convince Bella to leave, because I couldn't stomach the idea of them taking her away from me, but once she had realized that this was a true threat to my family, to her, and to _me_, she was firm in her decision to stay. Nothing could take her away from my side in that moment, not with danger growing ever closer to our front lawn.

She was pacing slightly back in forth in front of me, her eyes flitting between the forest (in the direction Alice had confirmed they would appear from) and to me, taking stock that I was still safe. In any other situation, I might have laughed and told her she was over-reacting, and that if something _did _happen to me, she would know right away; there was no need to keep checking. But I had more sense than that; she was already wound up enough. Little growls were emerging from deep in her chest every once in a while, making me want to go up to her and try to calm her down. It was a strange mixture, feeling protected yet feeling like a protector. I suppose these feelings were what occurred when you mixed an imprintee with a mated male vampire. We were definitely in a unique situation, anyway.

Though I was keeping a close lookout for the time when new minds entered my range, I was also constantly tuned in with my sister, watching the possibilities flash through her thoughts before they evolved and changed with each decision made. I knew many of these decisions were because of Bella; she hadn't blocked her mind from me, and was currently going over every attack route possible, as well as ways to ensure my safety.

In a moment, at least ten new voices entered my range. A few voices brought back memories of Carlisle explaining his time in Italy to me, and I knew that these were the infamous brothers: Aro, Caius, and Marcus. Though I knew it was bad that they were here, I couldn't help but be curious; I knew from Carlisle that the brothers rarely left their castle. Why did they come?

"They're here," I whispered before Alice got the chance. Bella had already frozen, her keen senses picking up the sound of whispering footsteps ghosting across the ground at an astounding pace. I couldn't tell much from their thoughts, which were mainly centered on just us as a family.

It was merely a couple of moments before they broke through the trees; Bella was at my side in an instant, her long tail curving around my legs. We had decided it would be best if she could appear as a pet; a very strange idea for a pet, but the brothers already thought of Carlisle and his chosen lifestyle as strange, so what was the harm on giving them one more reason to label us as outcasts? It had been difficult convincing her to pretend that I was her owner and she just a pet; she could be very stubborn when she wished it – but she had seen reason when we had explained to her the workings on the vampire race. She had seen how desperate I was to ensure that they didn't try to take her away from me.

The three thousand year old vampire immediately set his eyes on my darling 'pet', watching with interest as I gently stroked her fur, trying to keep her at ease. From her mind I could tell that it wasn't easy to pretend, not when somebody who had the ability to call for my death was so close to me. I tapped her back slightly, letting her know that I understood.

_I love you, Edward…_ she said gently as I moved my hand up to her ears, scratching behind them. Aro was watching my every move, focusing on the way that she was interacting with me. Bella noticed, and leaned into my side more, in what could appear as if she was wary of the stranger, but I knew to be she was ensuring that I was still fine. I was surprised at how tense she was, and the way that she was analyzing all of the newcomers as targets, waiting for them to make the first move before striking the death blow…

I tapped her back again, and it cut off the growl that had just began to grow in her throat. I wanted to look down at her, but I kept my eyes on the vampires in front of us.

_Interesting_, Aro mused, before finally turning his eyes to Carlisle. "Carlisle; it's great to see you old friend." He exclaimed, holding out his hand slightly to my father figure. All of us tensed – not enough to cause suspicion, but as if we were wondering about his action. After all, only Carlisle had met him before, and so we would have nearly no knowledge of his talent.

Carlisle sidestepped around the problem with ease, merely nodding his head and winding his arms around Esme. "It is a pleasure to see you as well, Aro; I believe you haven't met my wife, Esme, yet…" he trailed off pointedly, his eyes turning to me to see if Aro suspected anything. After a quick peruse of the vampire's mind, I deducted that he didn't see anything wrong with Carlisle's diversion. I nodded once; unless you knew about my talent, you would merely think I was answering one of my own thoughts.

They exchanged slight pleasantries, Aro introducing us to those he had brought with him: Caius and Marcus, of course, as well as Felix, Demetri, Jane, Alec, Heidi, Corin, and Renata. The last vampire stuck to Aro like a shadow, and I deduced from their thoughts that she was Aro's personal guard. In return, Carlisle introduced all of us, and we had a splendid time avoiding shaking his hand; he didn't really seem to notice.

After spending a few minutes outside, Carlisle finally decided that everything seemed calm enough. "Why don't we head inside; there's no need to stand out here like uncivilized folk."

Aro agreed, and we allowed him and the guard to enter first, with Carlisle and Esme showing them the way. My siblings trailed after them carefully, each sending slightly worried glances towards me and my mate – err, 'pet'.

I wanted to speak to her, but that would draw attention and possibly suspicion. Instead, I ran my hand gently along her spine and tail, soothing her. Her mind was revolting against these people being in my home, thinking the threat to be bigger now. I settled my hand on the back of her neck, gently kneading the skin and fur there, before walking inside with her. She didn't stray far, following after me.

Neither of us was expecting Aro to be waiting for us just inside the door; I hadn't heard his mind, and he wasn't making a sound. As soon as we stepped inside, Aro reached for my bare arm. The instant he made contact, Bella could no longer control herself, and within seconds she was pouncing un an unsuspecting vampire.

Well, so much for her going undetected.

**Chapter nine – wow, that far into it already? Geez. I'm sad to say that I'm actually almost drawing this story to a close – not too many chapters to go, now.**

**Review, and remember me.**


	10. Spring Cleaning

**A Lion Sleeps**

**Chapter Ten: Spring Cleaning**

'_**A lion sleeps in the heart of every brave man.' – Turkish Proverb**_

It was a blur of movement and angry sounds, after that. I vaguely registered the Volturi guard rushing to pull my rage-centered mate off, none to gently. I growled warningly at them, grabbing Bella as she calmed slightly, though her thoughts were still racing. In seconds she had shifted, keeping her eyes on the thing that was making her so upset.

I sighed when she was in human form, holding her to me tightly. I had to grasp her wrists in my hands to prevent her from reaching out and clawing the most powerful man in my world, the man who had the ability to call for my death if he wished. Though I felt pleased that she was willing to protect me – and I definitely felt protected – I still knew that her reaction was uncalled for, no matter how hard we were trying to avoid touching Aro. At the moment that Aro reached for me, the only thing she had registered was the hand of a stranger reaching out to touch her imprint. Her thoughts had instantly gone in a direction I can only refer to as 'caveman'; it was all deep grunts and the word 'mine' was thrown around quite a bit. It didn't make me feel like an object; it just made me feel loved.

"Bella, darling," I whispered in her ear, trying to calm her down as she thrashed in my arms. Her eyes were locked on Aro, her pupils dilated. Everyone had joined us in the front room, now, and my family quickly flitted to our sides, taking in the situation at hand. The guard was practically fawning over Aro, though Bella didn't even have two seconds to do any damage. "Calm down, love; everything is fine."

I was lying, of course, and I knew she could tell. Aro was definitely interested in my unique mate, thinking about having a 'guard lion'; he had mixed the image of her being a pet in with her being my mate, and thought that the only reason I kept her around was for extra protection. I barely held back a growl at that, but knew that he would understand if we explained it to him. But, Aro wanted my Bella, and damn it all if he thought I was going to let him take her from me without a fight.

Bella may seem like the one who wears the pants, but she's _my mate_. No one else's.

"Edward, I may not be the one who can read minds, but I think you and I both know where this is going," she hissed into the air, her eyes narrowing as she took in the calm stature of the man that was responsible for breaking the little happy bubble we had been in; he had perked up when she let slip my little talent, but I already had the feeling that he was going to find out about everything, anyways – couldn't hide it from him now.

"Still, calm down, sweetheart," I pleaded slightly. "Nothing good will come of you attacking people rashly."

She stiffened instead of calming down, locking down her muscles so that she didn't leap. "This is the best you're going to get – I suggest you back off a little more, _Aro_," she hissed his name. He smirked but did as she suggested, him and his guard taking a few step back until they were against the wall on the other side of the front room.

We stood quietly for a little while, before Aro decided it was time to break the more than awkward silence. "Well this is certainly interesting, Carlisle."

Carlisle actually looked flustered, and he glanced at Bella and I, his thoughts asking me to ensure that Bella remained in my arms and didn't attack. "Yes, well," he cleared his throat. "This is Bella, Edward's mate…" He didn't know exactly what to say for once, and it showed.

Aro's eyes lit up at the information, his thoughts turning in ways that made me want to strangle him. If only vampires needed oxygen. "And she protects your family?"

I growled. "Not like that," I snapped at the incompetent man. "We aren't forcing her to do anything."

Bella growled as well, catching on to his thoughts. "I would do anything for Edward, and therefore I would do anything for his family." Her body began shaking. "I wouldn't do _anything_ for you, no matter what, so you can get the idea of having me as a pet out of your head."

"Bella," Carlisle warned, holding out his hand in a slightly calming manner.

Aro waved him off. "No, Carlisle, it's quite alright. Except…" he turned to Bella, looking at her with an odd look in his eyes. His mind was spinning, and I couldn't quite get a read on it. "It seems you aren't quite aware of all we could do for you. We are the strongest coven in our world; much stronger than the ones you are with now. We could give you a dream life."

"I'm already living my dream, thank you." She suddenly relaxed, hugging my arms to her to prove her point. I relaxed as well, placing my chin on her shoulder.

He stepped forward, and instantly my lion tensed again. I moved up and rubbed her shoulder, trying to keep her calm. With a glance to Jasper, he began to help as well. "Ah, but you could find happiness with another… or your _mate_ could join us, as well. We aren't picky."

"Edward isn't going anywhere with you," she hissed. "I won't allow it."

"What if he wants to come with us?" He asked, and at the same time I shook my head; I would never willingly leave my family.

"He doesn't." She said firmly.

Aro studied her, and his mind was intent on searching for a way. A way that Marcus had seemingly found, as he reached over and touched his hand to his brothers. Aro smiled maliciously, returning his gaze to Bella. "Would you change your mind if we offered complete protection for your mate?"

Bella froze again, and not in the way that she was preventing herself from attacking. No, she froze in the way that told me she was curious. Aro could tell, as he smiled at her. "Go on," she said, motioning with her hand for him to continue.

"We would never return here, never even _think_ about causing harm to young Edward here; in fact, we would have a couple guards monitoring him here. All you would need to do was come with us."

I leaned forward, speaking lowly in her ear so that nobody else could hear except for us. "Don't do it, please; I'd rather be in danger than be without you."

Her thoughts answered me. _You don't understand how tempting this is._

"I do, but please… _don't_." I whimpered, knowing it would help me keep her with me.

_You'd be safe_.

"I'd be miserable. With you, I'm happy _and_ safe."

That seemed to help her choose, and as I witnessed her thought process, I smiled into her hair, hugging her to me tightly. "I think I'll stay here."

Aro's smile faded slightly, and he watched us. "Well, that's too bad," he snapped his fingers at his guard, pointing towards us. "We'll just have to take you."

Bella snarled again, and I backed away, knowing what was coming. In a second, a large lion was standing in the middle of the room, growling wildly at the targets it perceived as enemies. And they were – they should have understood that a pair of mates will never stand for being separated, no matter how tempting they make the offer. And with Bella… well, from what her mind had told me, the imprint was just as strong as, if not stronger than, the vampiric mating ritual.

Her thoughts snapped out, and – surprisingly – I can hear it ringing out through the minds of the others, and I knew she had somehow managed to send it to the others, as well. _Give me your best shot._

And they did.

Felix and Demetri automatically ran forward, and in a seemingly simple moment of analyzing, Bella managed to leap on them at the exact moment needed to send them flying through the glass window that completed one side of the room; at the same time, the thought _Sorry, Esme_ passed through each of our minds.

The 'witch twins' were next, but they weren't offensive fighters. They lurched out with their minds, only to feel something blocking their path, and they weren't happy about it. Bella almost smirked, before pouncing at them and sending them after Demetri and Felix. Jane fought back viciously, and managed to claw at Bella, leaving a deep wound on the side of her face. I growled, ready to join in, but Bella turned and stopped me immediately, images of me possibly getting hurt. I wanted to disagree that I was going to help her, anyways, but have you ever had a beautiful lion giving you the puppy eyes? I bet not; it was insanely hard to argue with her, so – grudgingly – I didn't.

Bella made quick work of Jane, tearing into her like some kind of rabid animal. Aro was watching in shock, as were the others; I had the urge to burn her, but I could hear what Bella was thinking. She was too selfless, sometimes.

The Volturi looked on in horror as Jane, their most precious talented vampire, was torn apart in front of them. Bella stepped back once she was finished, looking quite pleased with herself. The smug look became more apparent as she phased back into human form, walking behind me and wrapping her arms around my waist. I leaned into it, turning quickly to look at her face; there was a light pink scar, and I remembered that she had mentioned earlier that she healed fast. I was thankful for her supernatural abilities at that moment.

Alec flitted over to his sister's body, quickly trying to fit the pieces back together – at the damage Bella had done, though, it would take at least a week for her to return to normal, and I could tell that they all knew that. Alec was nearly crying he was so angry, but his thoughts showed his good judgment; he wasn't going to attack the one who had so easily torn apart another of his kind.

"I think it's best that you go now, Aro," Carlisle spoke once the wonder of Bella's skill had worn off of him.

"It would seem so," the leader of the coven said. Without a word, he ran quickly out, the rest of his guard following him. Alec was a minute behind, picking up the pieces of his dismantled sister. I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him; this was his biological sister, and as sadistic as she was she loved him just as much as I loved my sisters. Those feelings passed by quickly, though, as I remembered that his sister was the one to scar my mate.

"Well, that was fun," Emmett said as he clapped his hands.

**I feel so bad. This chapter sucks so much it's not even funny. I couldn't concentrate so I couldn't really think. This story is coming to a close, though, and I have to say that I'm glad. Can my writing get any worse from here? Let's pray not.**

**Review, and remember me.**


	11. Summer's Completion

**A Lion Sleeps**

**Epilogue: Summer's Completion**

'_**A lion sleeps in the heart of every brave man.' – Turkish Proverb**_

Everybody was treading a little carefully around my mate for a while after the fight; they now knew with upmost certainty that she could tear them to shreds if she felt so inclined. They grew used to her, though, as I knew she would.

I missed her greatly when she had to return home to her parents, but it was a little easier after she had introduced me to them. They seemed to like me, their thoughts happy that their daughter would finally begin acting like a 'normal teenager'. What? It's not like we could tell them that I was her imprint and we were destined for each other, and would remain together for all eternity. There's just some things parents don't need to know about their children.

The Volturi was no longer a threat, or so it seemed. Alice was now keeping a good watch on them and it appeared as if they had all but forgotten us. Jane had healed after a long wait, and from what the visions could tell us Alec was sticking to her side like glue. It was kind of sweet, though I will admit that those two creep me out.

Bella was much the same as Alec, though; she barely left me alone for five minutes, let alone the hours that her parents expected her to spend at home with them. Her eyes were always watching me, and she twitched whenever I moved. At first I found it endearing, but then I decided to actually sit down with her and have a talk about it. I told her that she didn't need to worry, that Alice would see anything we would need to worry about, and she calmed down. Well, it appeared as if she calmed down. Her instincts still told her to protect her mate, and there was never a time when I felt I was in danger.

Just being with Bella made me feel safe, no matter what she was doing.

Today was the day I chose for our first date; we'd only known each other for around two weeks now, but we were madly in love. Such things as 'getting to know each other' don't exactly exist in our world as they do in the human world. There's really no need for it, though once you have mated you want to know everything about your significant other. It was no exception for Bella and I; once the trouble was gone, it felt like we were on a game show, needing to answer each other's questions as fast as we could.

Our first date, though, was going to take place in the meadow where I had first laid eyes on Bella, and where – most importantly – she had first laid eyes on me. The place where I had found my happiness.

Bella seemed excited about it, barely making it outside before there a beautiful lion in front of me, beckoning me to her. I was confused for a moment, but I laughed as I realized what she wanted. I climbed onto her strong back, feeling her muscles beneath, and though it might seem odd, it made the instinct to mate with her so much stronger. I could feel the veins pulsing with her life, her tendons tightening and loosening as she moved her legs at a pace I only wish I could run at. I grasped the short fur around her neck loosely, wanting to feel more of her but passing it off as needing to hold on. She saw through me though, as a rumbling, laugh-like growl reverberated through her upper body. I smiled, though I was a little embarrassed to. I felt like a high school boy who couldn't keep it in his pants.

As we arrived, I jumped off, expecting her to phase back, but she didn't. She made her way to the spot I had first spotted, and flopped down gracefully. She looked at me, before her thoughts met my mind.

_Come lay with me_, her voice spoke softly, her tail moving up and down as she cleared a spot between her heavy front paws for me. I smiled at her, though I knew it was another one of those things that Emmett would laugh at me for. Everyone in the family was quite sure of who wore the pants in this relationship, and it certainly wasn't me. That was the force of an imprint, though; it overpowered even a vampire's mating instincts, which is saying something.

I sat down between her paws, feeling them as they tightened around my sides as if to keep me sitting up. This put her head slightly to the side of me, and I turned myself so that my legs were folded over her left one and her head was directly in front of me. She laughed again, laying her head in my lap and purring as I began to rub her ears.

"You know, when I was human I can remember asking my parents if we could get a cat," I began, smiling widely as she laughed deeply, her thoughts ringing with the musical sound. "I'll admit that you're a bit bigger than what I imagined, but I think you're perfect."

Her laughter turned into a humming sound, which was actually a low growl in the open air. _You are perfect, as well; though I can honestly say I never asked my parents for a pet vampire._

We laughed together then, calming down fairly quickly as I continued to rub her head. We had started out rather late, wanting to see the sunset, and I turned to see the lovely pinks and oranges lighting up the sky. It was actually a clear day, for once, and so the entire family had spent time at the house instead of doing other things, such as working and shopping.

Bella followed my gaze, humming once again in contentment as she caught sight of the beautiful sky. I turned back towards her, looking at her eyes as she watched the sky. She seemed mesmerized by it, and we sat there for the hour it took the sun to set, her watching the sun and I watching her. It was what Alice would call a 'tender moment'.

As the last slivers of light left the sky, though, Bella turned back to me, licking my hair once before settling back down. I chuckled, running my hand through my hair after her tongue and moving my other hand down to the crease between her head and her shoulders. I rubbed gently there, just enjoying the time with her.

Yes, we were definitely a strange coupling, but that didn't mean I loved her any less. She was my sun, my moon, my world. I would say she was also my air, but since I don't need it, I'll compare her to blood. She is my blood, the thing that keeps me strong and whatever the vampire equivalent of healthy is. She is, quite simply, everything to me. And I wouldn't change a thing.

Bella was my lion, and I loved her that way.

**What is this? The epilogue? Why, yes; it is the epilogue, thanks for noticing. **_**A Lion Sleeps**_** is done, though I'll have you know that I am currently working on an outtake for it. I don't know how many outtakes I'll have, but I just felt I didn't explain something enough and so I'm writing an outtake about it.**

**I don't know when it'll be up, so you'll have to wait.**

**The next story in the **_**Strange Imprints**_** series is going to be called **_**Strange Imprints: Earn Your Stripes**_**. Subscribe to me if you want to begin reading it as soon as it's put up!**

**Review, and remember me!**


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